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Denver metro area road construction projects announced

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), US, announced plans to construct more than 40 projects in the Denver metro area in 2012, for a total cost of more than $600m.

Of the total amount, $310m will be used for a safety and capacity improvement project on route US 36, between Federal Boulevard and 88th Street.

CDOT executive director Don Hunt said: "Thanks to the US DOT TIGER grant that was awarded to the US 36 project, the Regional Transportation District and many local partners, we are able to begin construction on several significant projects this year that would not have been constructed otherwise."

The funding for the projects was made by FASTER (Funding Advancements for Surface Treatment and Economic Recovery) and Bridge Enterprise, with support from the CDOT and Regional Transportation District.

The purpose of these sources is to provide transportation funding to improve safety and replace poor bridges which have been designated as structurally deficient or functionally obsolete, or rated "poor" by CDOT.

The US 36 project will design, build and widen the route, to add an express lane in each direction and reconstruct the existing pavements.

The work will also include replacing five bridges, adding Bus Rapid Transit components along the corridor and constructing a commuter bikeway along much of the corridor, among other improvements. Construction of US 36 route will begin in the second quarter of 2012 and continue through to the end of 2014.

The remaining amount of the $600m will be used for several new projects, to begin by the second quarter of this year, as well as for other projects continuing from 2011.

Work for the different projects includes widening interstate roads, replacing poor bridges, adding new lanes, constructing flyovers, sidewalks and improving interchanges for the safety of the motorists entering and exiting the highway, therefore easing the traffic.